Ukrainian refugees arriving into Wales on the Welsh Government sponsorship scheme will soon have to start paying for some meals and their laundry.
Changes to the rules in the New Year will see families having to contribute to some of their costs after a five week settling in period. The Welsh Government says the nominal charges are a way to reintegrate Ukrainian refugees into Wales' communities more quickly.
The latest figures show almost 3,000 people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, who have been directly sponsored by the Welsh Government, have arrived in Wales. However, to date, only around 500 of them have moved into longer-term accommodation in Wales as part of the super sponsor scheme. A further 300 people have moved on elsewhere outside of Wales.
The first Ukrainians to arrive in Wales were placed in 'welcome centres' which included the Urdd centre in Llangrannog. These facilities provide "wrap-around support" to help people find work and enrol children in schools as they settle into life in Wales as well as finding out if they are eligible for Universal Credit payments. Up until now this has been provided to fleeing families free of charge until they are in a position to move on to more suitable long-term housing in the community.
Read how Ukrainian families were given safety and a warm welcome in an Urdd centre in Wales here.
But things have evolved since June, the Welsh Government said, as people took longer than anticipated to move on. Instead of taking weeks, refugees were instead taking months, meaning additional capacity had to be sought out.
That's why the Welsh Government turned to other accommodation options, including hotels, universities and holiday parks. There are currently 1,500 refugees accommodated in initial accommodation including approximately 27 hotels in Wales, although this changes regularly as people arrive and move on. There are currently fewer people arriving from Ukraine and the Welsh Government is hoping to reduce the numbers being put up in hotels in the coming months as people move on to longer-term options.
The Welsh Government hopes that by encouraging families to take some responsibility for themselves they will be more inclined to move from the initial accommodation and into the community. Anecdotal evidence from local authorities, who are working to house families, indicates that some are refusing housing being offered because they deem it unsuitable for their needs.
The new rules by the Welsh Government will also see families given just two opportunities to refuse accommodation offered to them. If they decline a second option, they will have to pay from £25 per week - increasing to £37 for a family of four - to fund their costs staying at their initial accommodation. This will be paid for out of their Universal Credit payments, which they should be receiving five weeks after arriving into Wales provided their circumstances allow. All Ukrainians in initial accommodation will receive a letter on Thursday, December 1 outlining the changes which will come into force on January 9, 2023.
The Welsh Government has stressed that the move to make people fund their own laundry and one out of every three meals is not to save costs but simply to get refugees to understand that the initial accommodation is a temporary arrangement only. All initial accommodation is being funded by the Welsh Government.
From today, new arrivals can expect a three-phase approach: an initial five-week welcome phase free of any payments followed by a second five-week support phase where they will be able to start receiving Universal Credit if they qualify and be put onto housing lists. The final move on phase will see Ukrainians leave their initial accommodation and settle into their own homes. The government said local authorities will have guidance on what is a "suitable offer" for a refugee family so they are not forced to take unsuitable housing.
There have been some heart warming examples of Ukrainians settling in Wales including 22-year-old Iryna Matusevych, who arrived at the Urdd centre with her sister Lina in the summer.
After speaking to WalesOnline Iryna - who holds a biology and chemical engineering degree and a Masters in Electro Coagulation Processing - was spotted by Power and Water, a wastewater treatment company in Swansea. Harry Cowan, CEO of Power and Water, got in touch to see if Iryna would like a job and she now works as a graduate process engineer for the company.
Mr Cowan said: "She was exactly the candidate we had been looking to employ. Her knowledge and attitude is remarkable and we have no doubt she will make a major contribution to our business."
Iryna, who has now found her own place to live and settled into her new job, said: “I would like to say a massive thank you for the welcome I have had to Wales and for being given the opportunity to build a new life here. If I hadn’t been given support when I first arrived here it doesn’t bear thinking about."
Minister for social justice, Jane Hutt, said Wales is committed to being a Nation of Sanctuary. She added: "More than 500 people have now moved on from initial accommodation into a place of their own.
“We are continuing to work with local authorities and the third sector to support move on. This includes bringing forward more longer-term accommodation for everyone in housing need through our £60m Transitional Accommodation Capital Programme."
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